Category: CHRISTIAN SPERKA PHOTOGRAPHY

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Venus

This is a scenic shot I took during my second trip to South Africa in 2002.

This is the evening sky over Mpumalanga (at Londolozi Private Game Reserve) with Venus in the sky.

Enjoy the picture!

Picture Data: Camera: Canon D30 (3.2 Megapixels!) / Lens: Canon 24-105mm / Mode: AV / Shutter Speed: 1/3s / Aperture: f/3.5  / ISO: 100 / Exposure Correction -1.00eV / Metering: Central weighted / White balance: Auto / Center point focus only / Time: evening / cropped to approx 90% / on beanbag from vehicle

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The Nashville Zoo Elephants Videos – 3 – Tasks, Talks and Beauty

This third video and last in the Nashville Zoo Elephants video series includes video clips about enrichment for the Elephants and the work the keepers do with them. It ends with a slide show of my best Nashville Zoo Elephant pictures.

There are three videos in this series:
– Video 1 – Introduction
– Video 2 – Care, Sounds and Details
– Video 3 – Tasks, Talks and Beauty

Enjoy the video!

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The Nashville Zoo Elephants Videos – 2 – Care, Sounds and Details

This second video in the  Nashville Zoo Elephants video series includes many pictures and video clips about Elephant care, a few interesting sounds and fascinating pictures of some details of Elephants (as the one of the molar above) .

There are three videos in this series:
– Video 1 – Introduction
– Video 2 – Care, Sounds and Details
– Video 3 – Tasks, Talks and Beauty

Enjoy the video!

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The Nashville Zoo Elephants Videos – 1 – Introduction

 

In the last few weeks I have spent a lot of the time with the Nashville Zoo Elephants and their keepers.

This first of three videos about these amazing creatures is an introduction to the Nashville Zoo Elephants and the Elephant facilities at the zoo.

There are three videos in this series:
– Video 1 – Introduction
– Video 2 – Care, Sounds and Details
– Video 3 – Tasks, Talks and Beauty

Enjoy the video!

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Picture of the Week 10 – Blitz

[View all Pictures of the Week 2012]

Taking pictures of little cubs is always fun. A lot of my cub photo session I spend laying flat on the ground trying to get them on eye-level. This small Eurasian Lynx picture was taken at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Blitz (that is his name) was born on the May weekend of the 2010 big floods in Nashville. He is now one of the stars in the educational shows at the zoo.

More about Lynx:

The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat native to European and Siberian forests, South Asia and East Asia. While its conservation status has been classified as “Least Concern”, populations of Eurasian lynx have been reduced or extirpated from western Europe, where it is now being reintroduced.

The Eurasian lynx is the largest lynx species, ranging in length from 80 to 130 cm (31 to 51 in) and standing about 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder. It possesses a short “bobbed” tail with an all-black tip, black tufts of hair on its ears, and a long grey-and-white ruff

There are three more species in the genus Lynx:
– Canadian Lynx (Lynx canadensis)
– Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) – critically endangered
– Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Picture Data: Camera: Canon 1D Mark IV / Lens: Canon L IS 2.8 70-200mm at 70mm / Mode: AV / Shutter Speed: 1/3200s / Aperture: f/2.8 / ISO: 1600 / Exposure Correction +0.33eV / Metering: Central weighted / White balance: K6500 / Center point focus only / Time: noon / cropped to approx 40% / Freehand

For more Lynx pictures go to www.sperka.biz/lynx

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Wading

This is one of my favorite “scenic” shot.

This African Elephant was wading along the water towards a large lala palm at Imagine dam at Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa.

Picture Data: Camera: Canon EOS D30 / Lens: Canon L IS 100-400mm at 150mm/ Mode: AV / Shutter Speed: 1/750s / Aperture: f/5.6 / ISO: 200 / Exposure Correction -0.5eV / Metering: Central weighted / White balance: Auto / Center point focus only / Time: mid afternoon / cropped to approx 80% / Freehand from vehicle

I case you are in Nashville today it would great if you could come to my gallery tonight to learn more about Elephants 🙂
Click here for more information: https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/video-invitation-intelligent-giants-the-nashville-zoo-elephants/

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Key West Sunset

Back in the USA with my scenic pictures. I was only once in Key West, but it was one of the best vacations I ever had. It is a beautiful place.

This is a picture of a sailboat on a sunset cruise.

Picture Data: Camera: Canon 1D Mark II / Lens: Canon L IS 28-300mm at 75mm/ Mode: AV / Shutter Speed: 1/8000s / Aperture: f/8 / ISO: 400 / Exposure Correction +2eV / Metering: Central weighted / White balance: K6500 / Center point focus only / Time: at sunset / cropped to approx 80% / Freehand from moving boat (stabilizer mode 2)

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Invitation to the March Gallery Crawl / Picture of the Week 9 – Bubble Bath!

[View all Pictures of the Week 2012]

It is not really a bubble bath but Hadari, one the Nashville Zoo’s African Elephants, is getting a “shampoo rub down”  as part of her daily routine.

Invitation to the March Gallery Crawl

When: Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 6p.m. to 9p.m.
Where: Christian Sperka Photography / Animal Art Photography Gallery at the Arcade [Downtown Nashville in the block between Church and Union Streets and 4th and 5th Avenues]

Special Event
INTELLIGENT GIANTS – The Nashville Zoo Elephants

In cooperation with the Nashville Zoo I will be presenting many interesting  images and video clips of the Nashville Zoo Elephants.

I will show a lot of backstage images give some insights into Elephant care at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.

There will be three presentations by Connie Philipp, Director of Animal Collections (at 6:30pm / 7:30pm and 8:30pm) on the subject.

I am looking forward to seeing you on Saturday 🙂

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Thanda Sunrise

Another scenic shot of one of my favorite places in South Africa.

This is a sunrise on Thanda Private Game Reserve in Kwazulu Natal.

Picture Data: Camera: Canon 1D Mark IV / Lens: Canon L IS 28-300mm at 200mm/ Mode: AV / Shutter Speed: 1/3000s / Aperture: f/5.6 / ISO: 400 / Exposure Correction +/-0eV / Metering: Central weighted / White balance: Auto / Center point focus only / Time: early morning / cropped to approx 50% / Freehand from vehicle

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